“She did?” Had Sherry lost her mind?

Sherry covered Madison’s hand with her own and caressed it with her thumb. “I hope it’s okay with you that I told him the truth?”

For a moment, all Madison heard was a loud buzz. “What?”

“Are you okay, Mad?” Phil asked.

He was her best friend, but he couldn’t keep a secret to save his life. It’s over.

“Sure.” But nothing was okay. What the hell had she told him? Maybe they still could—

“Madison, I told Phil the truth, that I thought you were arrogant and self-centered in the beginning, but that I realized fast that you’re a total romantic and kind.”

Romantic? Kind? That was the pretend truth? Sherry was ruining her reputation!

“You know,” Phil said, “I have to admit that I had been wondering how you and someone like Sherry got together. But Sherry obviously knows a different Mad.”

What the hell had they been talking about? She hadn’t been gone for more than two or three minutes.

Sherry gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek. “You might just be right.”

“Spin the bottle!” Jason shouted. His suggestion was followed by cheering.

“Not so loud, dammit!” Madison couldn’t believe that she was even thinking these words—she normally didn’t have a domestic bone in her body—but how was Jake supposed to sleep with this shouting?

“Pull that tree trunk out of your ass.” Phil walked over to the circle forming on the floor beside the buffet table.

“Thank you,” Sherry whispered.

“I doubt it’ll help.” Madison nodded toward Phil. “What exactly did you tell him?”

Sherry sighed. “He came over to me and told me there was something he didn’t get.”

“What was it?”

“Phil said that aside from my looks, I wouldn’t be your type and that we don’t fit together.”

“He really said that?” If Madison and Sherry really were a couple and Sherry was insecure about their relationship, this would have been bad. Really bad.

“That was why I told him it wasn’t love at first sight. I hope that was o—”

“Hey, you two gonna join us or what?” Liam shouted over from his place in the circle.

“We’re coming.” Madison stood. “I never pass on that,” she told Sherry in a quieter voice.

Sherry gazed almost longingly toward the hall. “I’ll look after Jake.”

Madison took her hand to hold her back. “Do you think that is going to help him sleep? I don’t think so.”

“As if he could sleep with this ruckus going on.” She pointed at two women who excited the hallway and skipped toward Jason, shouting at the top of their voices, “Drink! Drink! Drink!”

Groaning, Madison pulled Sherry with her to the circle. “Could you tune that down, please? I told you already Jake is sleeping next door.”